Thomas Bourn facts for kids

Thomas Bourn was an English schoolteacher and writer. He lived a long time ago, from 1771 to 1832. Thomas Bourn loved to make learning interesting for young people. He wrote books that helped students learn about the world and numbers in a fun way.

Who Was Thomas Bourn?

Thomas Bourn was born in Hackney, England, on April 19, 1771. Hackney is now part of London. He grew up and went to a private school there. A Reverend S Palmer taught him how to be a teacher.

Becoming a Teacher

In 1791, Thomas Bourn started teaching. He became a geography teacher at a private school for girls. This school was run by the Quakers, a religious group. He got this job with help from William Butler, who would later become his father-in-law.

In 1796, Thomas Bourn married Elizabeth Butler. They had a large family together, with eleven children.

Writing for Young Minds

Thomas Bourn believed that learning should be fun. He once said, "Young people require to be entertained as well as admonished." This means he thought students needed to be entertained and taught at the same time.

The Gazetteer: A World of Knowledge

In 1807, Thomas Bourn published a very important book. It was called A Concise Gazetteer of the most Remarkable Places in the World. A gazetteer is like a dictionary of places. This book was special because it had 900 pages of maps. It also described many historical events and famous people from around the world.

Bourn wanted to make geography easier for children to understand. His book connected people, places, and events on maps. The book was very popular. A third edition was printed in 1822, showing how successful it was.

Making Learning Fun

Thomas Bourn also helped edit other educational books. In 1829, he worked on a book by William Butler. This book was called "A COLLECTION OF EASY ARITHMETICAL QUESTIONS, DESIGNED FOR THE USE OF YOUNG LADIES." It was a book of math problems for young girls.

Bourn tried to make these math problems practical and interesting. He wanted to show how dates, figures, facts, and statistics could be appealing to young people. He focused on making learning enjoyable and useful.

Later Life

Thomas Bourn continued his work as a teacher and writer. He passed away at his home in Mare Street, Hackney, on August 20, 1832. He left behind a legacy of making education more accessible and engaging for young learners.